Resist developing process

Abstract

A developing process for obtaining a resist pattern on a semiconductor wafer includes puddling a developer on a wafer and holding a wafer inclined at a predetermined tilt angle in the puddled condition and repeating alternately stoppage and slow rotation plural times. This can make the central pattern width narrower selectively simply by apparatus adjustment, in case where, otherwise the pattern width of a wafer's central portion becomes wide, thereby achieving an increased pattern uniformity of the wafer and serve as improving the performances.

Description

The present invention relates to a photoresist (termed herein as "resist") developing process, more especially to a developing process for preparing a resist pattern on a wafer by applying a puddling method in a process for preparing a semiconductor.In a process for preparing a semiconductor, forming a resist pattern on a wafer is now put into practice by using, for example, an apparatus shown in FIG. 8. In FIG. 8. "11" denotes a wafer; "12", a chuck for holding a wafer by absorption; "13", a shaft of a chuck; "14", a motor for rotating a shaft of a chuck; "15", a supporting plate and "16", a connecting part of an apparatus. As to the apparatus shown in FIG. 8, refer to microfilmed Japanese Utility Model Registration Application No. 61-135016 (1986) (Utility Model Kokai Publication JP-U-A-63-43427 (1988)), particularly its conventional art (FIG. 2).At the outset, a resist is coated on a wafer and then exposed with an exposing apparatus. The resultant wafer 11 is held on a wafer chuc...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

In order to solve the above problem, if the uniformity of the on-surface pattern of the wafer can be changed partially simply by apparatus adjustment, it will be possible to grade up the on-surface uniformity of the resist in terms of its dimension, and in addition to shorten a time for evaluation and development.

The present invention has been achieved based on recognizing the above problems and findings thereafter. It is an object of the present invention to provide a resist developing process which can make the central pattern width narrower selectively (i.e., prevent widening) simply by apparatus adjustment (mechanical adjustment), in case where, otherwise under certain conditions, the pattern width of a wafer's central portion becomes wider, thereby making it possible to grade up the on-surface uniformity and improving the performance.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a resist developing process which can serve as shortening a time for evaluation and development and grading up the productivity.

Problems solved by technology

That is, it is desirable to make the width of a resist pattern formed after developing uniformly over the entire surface of the wafer, however, it is difficult to meet the requirement of enlarging the size of the wafer or minimizing the pattern simply by applying conventional means or equipments.

For this reason, the optimum combination including the dropping condition of the developer and the number of rotation (rotation speed) has been assessed through varying various parameters by trial and error, whereby an enormous time has been required for establishing new satisfactory conditions.

Similarly to the developing process, it can be concluded that next step of dry-etching process involves a problem that a vast developing time has been required for pattern-etching uniformly over the entire surface of the wafer.

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